A quiet Sunday morning, August 24, was suddenly interrupted in Malaysia’s southern state of Johor. A magnitude 4.1 earthquake rattled the region. People across several other states felt the ground shake. Fortunately, initial reports show no damage.
The Malaysian Meteorological Department, known as MetMalaysia, shared the news on its social media page. The quake struck at 6:13 AM local time. Its center was about 5 kilometers west of Segamat city. It happened at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers below the surface. Tremors reached most parts of Johor, Negeri Sembilan, and Malacca. Even southern Pahang felt the shaking. MetMalaysia quickly confirmed there was no risk of a tsunami. They stated they would keep watching the situation closely.
Johor’s Chief Minister, Onn Hafiz Ghazi, reassured the public. He posted on Facebook that no damage or accidents had been reported in Segamat. He explained that local officials are working with other agencies. They are tracking events and keeping everyone updated. The Chief Minister also advised people to stay clear of unstable buildings. Everyone should listen to official safety instructions, he added.
This event is a good reminder that nature can always surprise us. Many might think Malaysia is safe from quakes. It sits outside the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” after all. Yet, experts say the country isn’t entirely free from seismic activity.
Abdul Rashid Jaafar, who leads the Institute of Geology Malaysia, spoke about this back in March. He pointed out that Malaysia doesn’t lie on the main collision lines of Earth’s big plates. Still, smaller earthquakes have happened in some areas over the decades. He mentioned that quakes are hard to predict. We don’t know exactly where or how strong they will be. He gave an example of a magnitude 3.8 quake in Bukit Tinggi. Peninsular Malaysia probably won’t face very strong earthquakes, he noted. However, the state of Sabah carries a higher risk. This is because it is closer to more active geological zones.
Malaysia has experienced several significant quakes in the past. Sabah, for instance, saw magnitude 6.0 and 6.3 quakes in 1923, 1958, 1976, and 2015. Sarawak’s strongest recorded quake was a magnitude 5.3 in 1994. Even Peninsular Malaysia has had its share of tremors. Between 1984 and 2013, quakes ranging from magnitude 1.6 to 4.6 were reported. These centered in places like Bukit Tinggi in Pahang, Kenyir Dam in Terengganu, Kuala Pilah in Negeri Sembilan, and Manjung and Temenggor in Perak.
Source: CNA